A TRIO of AFLW-listed Geelong players will feature in their first competitive matches of 2022 when they line up in the Cats’ VFLW season opener.
2020 draft trio Olivia Barber, Stephanie Williams and Carly Remmos have been named among six AFLW Cats to take on Carlton at Deakin University on Saturday afternoon.
Dani Higgins, Georgia Clark and Claudia Gunjaca, who won Geelong’s VFLW best-and-fairest in 2021, are also set to take on the Blues.
Newcomers to the line-up include former Collingwood Super Netball player Mel Bragg, 2018 Geelong Falcons premiership player Sophie Dineen, and Grovedale duo Isabella Hill and Taylah Nelson.
Hill won the AFL Barwon Division 1 best-and-fairest and Rookie of the Year award last year after joining the Tigers from Ballarat.
The meeting with the Blues also marks the return of Elise Coventry, Emily Ramsay and Annie Haigh.
Coventry hasn’t played a competitive match since the 2018 VFLW grand final after rupturing her anterior cruciate ligament in an AFLW practice match the following year and then falling pregnant.
Ramsay and Haigh last pulled on the Hoops in 2019 before returning to local football with Geelong Amateur and St Mary’s.
The experienced Breanna Beckley has been named captain of the Cats, with Chloe Leonard vice-captain.
Delisted AFLW duo Maddie Boyd and Mia Skinner will share the deputy vice-captaincy.
Twitter: @tom_king79
VFL WOMEN’S ROUND 1
GEELONG vs. CARLTON
Deakin University Elite Sports Precinct
Saturday, February 11, 2:00pm
[supsystic-tables id=’27’]aflw
